The Research Design of the Study

Abstract

This chapter gives a detailed description of the research design of the study. First, the objectives of the study and the research questions are outlined. The chapter continues with a description of and justification for the varieties of English speech selected for evaluation and provides background information on the speakers. The chapter then discusses the choice of background variables and gives an overview of the sample employed in the study. The chapter also provides an account of and rationale for each of the research instruments employed and describes the implications of the findings from the pilot study. Finally, an outline is given of the data collection procedure of the main study.